The number of ducks and geese observed during the 1963 midwinter survey in the Central Flyway showed encouraging signs that the curtailed hunting season of 1962 served its purpose in preserving waterfowl breeding stock. Observers report that 15 percent more waterfowl were seen this winter than in 1962, the Department said.
Ducks observed in the United States portion of the central flyway were up 23 percent compared with 1962, but still were almost 18 percent below the long-term average. Observations of mallards, the preferred duck for most Central Flyway hunters, tallied 14 percent over 1962. However, this is still 26 percent below the average number observed during the past 8 years.
More pintails were recorded in the Central Flyway during this survey, but the total seen was 40 percent below the long-term average. The closed hunting season on redheads the past few years has helped to slow or stop their decline. Their tally was 30 percent below the long-term average but almost the same as last year. The Central Flyway winters a major portion of the Contingent’s red-heads, with most of them being found in Laguna Madre on Texas’ Gulf Coast and in the Tamaulipas Lagoons of Old Mexico.
More geese were observed this year. The snow and blue geese tallies were up 72 percent over 1962, and up 23 percent over the long-term average. White fronted geese were also observed in increased numbers.
Twice as many waterfowl were recorded in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and North Dakota by the 1963 survey than in 1962. In Montana, 19 percent more waterfowl were observed, while fewer waterfowl were seen in South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas and Texas.
The annual midwinter survey was carried out by 309 observers in the Central Flyway. They flew 21,668 miles in 30 aircraft, and traveled another 25,620 miles by car, boat and even snowplane.
The survey crews continued the continental coverage by surveying wintering waterfowl down the east coast of Mexico to the tip of Yucatan and west toward the center of the Mexican Republic through Torreon, Durango, and the north to Jaurez.
In reporting on the Central Flyway count, the Department explained that the midwinter survey is made to learn information about winter habitat conditions and to get data on long-term waterfowl trends. Because observers tally only what they see and at times all the waterfowl present are not visible, it is not possible to make an actual count of all the waterfowl in the Flyway. Over several years, however, the data do provide a general picture of trends. For most of the geese the midwinter survey is a reliable head-count.
The Department also pointed out that the midwinter survey data do not have a direct cause and effect relationship with the annual waterfowl hunting regulations but that the Survey is only one of several sets of information used in establishing hunting regulations each year.
The extensive survey covers the mail waterfowl wintering areas of Mexico and Canada as well as all States except Alaska. It is coordinated by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. The entire job must be completed as soon as possible to guard against duplicate counts of birds that may move from one area to another because of weather changes.
On the first day of the survey, hundreds of waterfowl observers in the United States, Canada and Mexico climb into cars, boats, and airplanes to see how may waterfowl of each species can be observed in the assigned areas. Men and equipment from the Fish and Wildlife Service, State game and fish departments, and the United States Armed Forces, the Canadian Wildlife Services, fish and game departments of the Canadian Provinces, and private organizations all cooperate in carrying out this important survey.
